Evaluating the Hydrological Impact of Reservoir Operation on Downstream Flow of Seomjin River Basin: SWAT Model Approach

Multi-purpose dams in a river basin frequently result in variations in downstream flow. Precisely assessing the reservoir operation effects can improve management strategies and alleviate extreme hydrological events. This study assesses the impact of reservoir operation scenarios on the downstream flow in the Seomjin River basin in South Korea. Four reservoir scenarios were developed utilizing observed daily inflow and outflow data from the reservoirs. A semi-disturbed hydrological model, SWAT (Soil and Water Assessment Tool), was employed to simulate the flow for each reservoir operation scenario in the downstream section of the study basin. Model execution was evaluated by comparing the simulated and measured streamflows using performance metrics, including R2, NSE, and PIBAS, which displayed very good compatibility. The sensitivity of calibration parameters varied across different reservoir operation scenarios. The results of this study indicate that the operation scenarios for the Seomjin and Juam reservoirs led to a maximum downstream flow reduction of 32%. Additionally, the monsoon season exhibited a lower percentage reduction in flow compared to the dry season, which was influenced by the frequency of rainfall in the region. Annual assessment indicated that streamflow reduction varies between 1.35% and 32.9% across all reservoir operation scenarios. Reservoir operations have demonstrated their effect on the alteration of downstream flow in the Seomjin River basin. This study demonstrates that the operation of the Seomjin reservoir has a more significant impact on downstream flow than that of the Juam reservoir in the study region. This study analyzed a substantial basin with various reservoir operation scenarios to assess the influence of flow on the downstream section, yielding important insights for efficient water resource management.